Magnussen: Thorpe faces tough task

Ian Thorpe's return to the pool has been a boon for Australian swimming but the five-time Olympic gold medallist has a tough task to break into the team for the London Games, said James Magnussen. The 20-year-old Magnussen, Australia's first world champion in the blue riband 100 metres freestyle, said the field would be fired up by the challenge posed by Thorpe, who returned to the pool just over a year ago after a gap of more than five years. Thorpe, 29, will focus on the 100 and 200 freestyle events at the selection trials in Adelaide. Look, I think he'll be up against it. It's a strong field and I think from his perspective, if I was here making a comeback as he is, I would think making the 100 freestyle final is a big achievement," Magnussen told reporters on Tuesday. "It's been great for the sport as it's been able to push the rest of us along, make us fight for those extra positions. "I think he'll have achieved something, if not for himself, then the sport, if he can reach that final. "I think I see it more as, if he is in the final ... if he makes the relay (team), it's a little bit of a surprise, but it's also a massive bonus to have someone with that experience and a calm head of a team." Media attention Thorpe won five gold medals at the Sydney and Athens Olympics, but has failed to recapture his old form since making his competitive comeback in Singapore in November. But Magnussen, who shot to fame after a surprise win in the 100 freestyle at the world championships last year in Shanghai, feels Thorpe is still a top draw. "I think Ian brought a lot of attention back to the sport and that will probably be reflected in the crowd and media attention this week," added Magnussen, who has been dubbed "the Missile" by local media. "I think Ian's comeback has been great for the sport ... I respect him for what he's done and what he's achieved so far ... I think it would be a massive achievement if he could qualify."